


To Be Seen

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 9-1-1 Season 4, And Damn It He's Going To Get Them, Buck Deserves Hugs and Soft Touches Okay, Confessions, Episode: s04e05 Buck Begins, Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Season/Series 04, Soft Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:40:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29482338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Eddie isn't the only Diaz waiting for Buck when he gets back to the station.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 425





	To Be Seen

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for episode 5. Because I had hopes about who was waiting upstairs and had to write them.

A clean bill of health. Buck knows he should be relieved, and he is. But the words barely register through the static in his head. He's silent most of the drive back to the station. Bobby, as if sensing he's not ready to talk, just lets him be. Buck appreciates it. He knows at some point he'll need to talk. But he's not ready. Not yet. 

He's not the least bit surprised that Eddie is waiting when they arrive. He's mostly hung back until now, but it was only a matter of time before he checked in. At least in his own way. 

"Clean bill of health from the docs," Bobby says as they exit the car.

Eddie smiles, "Glad to hear it."

Bobby claps him on the back on his way by, and then it's just him and Eddie. 

"Show off." Eddie's still smiling as he looks at him, and it relaxes something inside Buck. This, at least, hasn't changed. 

"I had to do it," Buck says. He knows if anyone would understand, it's Eddie. But he still needs to say it.

Eddie nods, his features softening as he regards him. "I know."

Buck hesitates a moment. There's so much he wants to say, but he's not sure now is the time. "I knew you would."

"You have a visitor," Eddie tells him. "They're waiting upstairs." At Buck's hesitation, he smiles and claps a hand on his back. He leaves it there as he leads him towards the stairs. "It's a good thing. Promise."

"I'm putting my trust in you," Buck tells him. "Don't make me regret."

Eddie chuckles, "You won't."

They reach the top of the stairs, and Buck looks around. The room seems empty. "What?"

"Buck!"

Buck's eyes widen at the sound of the familiar voice coming from the couch. "Christopher? What are you uh… what are you doing here?"

"Dad said you needed cheering up," Christopher says. "And that I could help."

He looks to Eddie, who shrugs as he sits on the couch next to Christopher. "It always works for me. So I figured…"

Buck smiles and sits on Christopher's other side. Christopher leans into his side, giving him a one-armed hug. "How do you feel now?"

Buck smiles down at him, "Better already."

Christopher grins up at him, "Really?"

Buck nods and looks from Christopher to Eddie, "How could I not be? I'm with my two favorite guys."

Eddie reaches across the couch and squeezes his shoulder. "We'll always be here, Buck."

Buck nods and has to turn away when he feels tears stinging in his eyes. Eddie pats his back while Christopher squeezes him tighter.

"It's okay, Buck," Christopher says. 

They sit there like that for a while. Christopher talks about his school project while Buck and Eddie listen attentively. It's nice. Normal.

Eddie's hand stays on Buck. First on his shoulder, then to his back, where he absently rubs soothing circles. Buck almost melts under the touch and leans into it.

Christopher’s speech starts to grow quieter until eventually, he stops. Buck looks down to see his eyes closed where his head is resting against Buck's shoulder. Buck smiles down at him. 

"Guess he wore himself out," Buck says quietly and looks up at Eddie. 

Eddie's smiling softly as he looks at them, "Guess so."

He puts his phone in his pocket and gets to his feet. Buck frowns. "Where are you going?" he hisses. 

Eddie puts a finger to his lips. "When I move him, you stand up."

"I don't want to wake him," Buck says. 

That soft smile is back on Eddie's face. "You won't. Trust me."

Buck would trust Eddie with anything. He doesn’t need to say it out loud. They both know it. So he nods. Buck waits until Eddie's lifted Christopher, and then he slips off the couch. He turns to see Eddie laying Christopher back down. Christopher mumbles in his sleep but doesn't wake. 

"Heavy sleeper," Eddie shrugs.

He nods his head towards the kitchen, and Buck follows. It's still secluded up here, and Buck knows it's probably Bobby telling everyone to give them some space. Which Buck is grateful for.

He watches Eddie as he opens a bottle of water and takes a sip. Their eyes meet, and Eddie smiles. "What's on your mind?"

"A lot of things," Buck says. "I guess I've just been thinking a lot about who I was. Everything that led me here."

"I bet there's a lot of stories there," Eddie says. 

Buck knows he's curious. But he hasn't pried. Maybe one day Buck will tell him all about it. But not right now. Right now, he wants to stick to what's important. 

"You know, Maddie once told me to find the thing that makes me happy," Buck says. "The people that make me feel loved."

"Good advice," Eddie says.

"It was," Buck agrees. "I spent a long time searching for that. It seemed out of reach at times. But now I know it's not. That I have found it."

"Yeah?"

"My place is here," Buck says. "And the people I love. The team. Maddie." His eyes linger on Eddie, and he swallows. "You. And Christopher."

"He loves you so much, Buck," Eddie says. "So do I."

Buck nods. "Yeah, I love him too. Wait, you..."

Eddie smiles, "I love you. We both know I'm not the best with words. But I think you need to hear it. So, there you go."

"Eddie…"

"I know it's probably a lot right now," Eddie goes on. "I just needed you to know that you are loved, Buck. By so many people, but especially me."

Buck's mind has already been on overload after the past few days. Hearing those words from Eddie might be too much. But it's not. After all, Buck had just told Eddie the same thing. But it's still different hearing the words out loud, especially coming from Eddie, who's watching him patiently, giving Buck the time to process. 

"Thank you," Buck says finally. And yeah, maybe there are a million other things he could say right now. But this feels like the most important.

Eddie's brow furrows, "For what?"

"For coming for me," Buck clarifies. "You know, I was ready to give up in there. And then there you were. You kept me fighting, Eddie. I mean, all of you did. But you don't know what it meant to me to see you there. To know you didn't give up on me."

Eddie hugs him then, as if knowing that's exactly what Buck's been needing. Because of course he does. Buck sinks into his hold and feels the tension from the last few days melt away. 

"I'll always have your back, Buck," Eddie says. 

Buck smiles, "Yeah, I know."

Because if there's one person he can always count on to be by his side when he needs him, it's Eddie. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/comments make my day 💜  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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